....to provide broadband Internet and VoIP (voice-over-IP) services to member educational entities and government agencies. TIPS/TAPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System) made the award through a competitive bid process. The FTI proprietary two-way satellite service is uniquely engineered to provide reliable high-speed Internet and telephone services to rural geographically isolated schools, libraries and other government agencies unable to contract for Internet services from other providers.
FTI’s satellite installations are multi-purpose educational telecommunications gateways for rural schools that deliver immediate access to Internet, free long distance telephone calls and educational television programming. The FTI satellite Internet installation is capable of providing telephone service through its “Foundation Fone” VoIP technology with free long distance calls throughout the U.S. In addition, the installation also provides access to the eight channels of SCOLA educational foreign broadcast services that are currently viewed by over ten million students nationwide. TIPS/TAPS is available for use by all public and private schools, colleges, universities, cities, counties and other government entities in 45 states. Participation of government entities will provide the legally required competition for contracts for commonly purchased items, thereby saving the individual government agency the cost of going through the competitive process.
